Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says a little-known creature native to tropical north Queensland should be recognised as a symbol of the serious and immediate threat to life presented by global warming.

A brooch modelled on the White Lemuroid Ringtail Possum has been unveiled today at the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) conference at James Cook University in Cairns, to raise awareness of its plight.

The future is brighter for newly discovered species in Australia today, with a Senate Inquiry report into a Greens bill recommending the closure of a loophole that would prevent newly discovered animals from receiving emergency protection.

“The report recommends a middle ground between the Government’s position and the Greens’ bill, which is a welcome step towards better protecting threatened species,” Australian Greens environment spokesperson Senator Larissa Waters said.